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<h1 id="title">EPOReferralQ1</h1>
<div dir="ltr" id="content" lang="en"><span class="anchor" id="top"></span>
<span class="anchor" id="line-1"></span><p class="line867"><a href="https://ffii.org/EPOReferral">EPO Referral main page</a> <span class="anchor" id="line-2"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-3"></span><p class="line867">
<h1 id="A3.1._QUESTION_1:_CAN_A_COMPUTER_PROGRAM_ONLY_BE_EXCLUDED_AS_A_COMPUTER_PROGRAM_AS_SUCH_IF_IT_IS_EXPLICITLY_CLAIMED_AS_A_COMPUTER_PROGRAM.3F">3.1. QUESTION 1: CAN A COMPUTER PROGRAM ONLY BE EXCLUDED AS A COMPUTER PROGRAM AS SUCH IF IT IS EXPLICITLY CLAIMED AS A COMPUTER PROGRAM?</h1>
<span class="anchor" id="line-4"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-5"></span><p class="line867"><em>Comments please.</em> <span class="anchor" id="line-6"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-7"></span><p class="line867">
<h2 id="I._Background">I. Background</h2>
<span class="anchor" id="line-8"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-9"></span><p class="line874">In the 199Os, applicants stated to formulate claims for their computer <span class="anchor" id="line-10"></span>implemented inventions in terms of the computer program, e.g. 'Computer <span class="anchor" id="line-11"></span>program for carrying out method X, or 'Computer readable medium for <span class="anchor" id="line-12"></span>storing a computer program for carrying out method X'. The later <span class="anchor" id="line-13"></span>formulation and equivalents are referred to as a computer program <span class="anchor" id="line-14"></span>product claims (CPPs). These formulations are clearly important for <span class="anchor" id="line-15"></span>applicants as they are routinely included in patent applications in the <span class="anchor" id="line-16"></span>field of computer technology. <span class="anchor" id="line-17"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-18"></span><p class="line874">In this field, claim formulations along the following lines are common: <span class="anchor" id="line-19"></span><ul><li>methods <span class="anchor" id="line-20"></span></li><li>systems (i.e. computer systems) <span class="anchor" id="line-21"></span></li><li>computer-implemented methods <span class="anchor" id="line-22"></span></li><li>computer programs <span class="anchor" id="line-23"></span></li></ul><p class="line874">computer program products, storing a computer program. <span class="anchor" id="line-24"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-25"></span><p class="line874">However, the substance of these claims, i.e. the underlying method to be <span class="anchor" id="line-26"></span>performed by a computer, is often identical. <span class="anchor" id="line-27"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-28"></span><p class="line874">Recently, in the light of an England and Wales Court of Appeal <span class="anchor" id="line-29"></span>judgement, the UK intellectual property Office issued a practice notice(2)  <span class="anchor" id="line-30"></span>stating that it seemed likely that few claims to programs or programs <span class="anchor" id="line-31"></span>on carriers would avoid the exclusion from patentability of programs for <span class="anchor" id="line-32"></span>computers as such. In practice they rejected nearly all such claims. <span class="anchor" id="line-33"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-34"></span><p class="line874">In response to a growing dissatisfaction from applicants, a set of test <span class="anchor" id="line-35"></span>cases were constructed to have the issue decided by the UK courts, and <span class="anchor" id="line-36"></span>the practice notice was overruled in this respect(3). Thus the importance of such <span class="anchor" id="line-37"></span>claim formulations for applicants is apparent. <span class="anchor" id="line-38"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-39"></span><p class="line867">
<h2 id="II.__The_diverging_decisions">II.  The diverging decisions</h2>
<span class="anchor" id="line-40"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-41"></span><p class="line874">Regarding decision T1173/97 (4), the subject-matter of the application that <span class="anchor" id="line-42"></span>was subject of the appeal related to recovering resources in a computer <span class="anchor" id="line-43"></span>system. Independent claims defining a method for resource recovey in a <span class="anchor" id="line-44"></span>computer system and a computer with means for carying out the method <span class="anchor" id="line-45"></span>were found to be allowable by the Examining Division. <span class="anchor" id="line-46"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-47"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-48"></span><p class="line874">The application was refused only because of no further independent claims <span class="anchor" id="line-49"></span>directed at a corresponding computer program product. The Examining <span class="anchor" id="line-50"></span>Division followed the EPO Guidelines valid at the time which stated that <span class="anchor" id="line-51"></span>a computer program claimed by itself or on a carrier, irrespective of <span class="anchor" id="line-52"></span>its contents, is excluded from patentability under A. 52(2) and (3) EPC. <span class="anchor" id="line-53"></span>The Division considered that economic considerations and international <span class="anchor" id="line-54"></span>developments (e.g. TRlPS and new practices of other patent offices) <span class="anchor" id="line-55"></span>could not be taken into account. <span class="anchor" id="line-56"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-57"></span><p class="line874">The Board was not bound by the Guidelines and in this decision it chose <span class="anchor" id="line-58"></span>not to follow them. It noted that TRlPS may not be directly applied to <span class="anchor" id="line-59"></span>the EPC; nevetheless it was taken into consideration and found not to <span class="anchor" id="line-60"></span>preclude the patenting of computer programs. The Board then set about <span class="anchor" id="line-61"></span>interpreting the exclusion from patentability of programs for computers <span class="anchor" id="line-62"></span>as set out in the EPC. <span class="anchor" id="line-63"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-64"></span><p class="line874">From the combination of the two provisions (A. 52(2)(c) and (3) EPC), <span class="anchor" id="line-65"></span>the Board decided that the legislator did not want to exclude from <span class="anchor" id="line-66"></span>patentability all programs for computers (Reasons, 4). In other words, <span class="anchor" id="line-67"></span>the Board found that of all computer programs, there existed a subset <span class="anchor" id="line-68"></span>(computer programs as such) which was excluded from patentabi1ity. Those <span class="anchor" id="line-69"></span>computer programs which were not in this subset were not excluded from <span class="anchor" id="line-70"></span>patentability. <span class="anchor" id="line-71"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-72"></span><p class="line874">The Board further concluded (Reasons, 5.2-5.4) that programs for computers <span class="anchor" id="line-73"></span>are patentable when they have technical character; technical character <span class="anchor" id="line-74"></span>being an essential requirement for patentability. It considered this to <span class="anchor" id="line-75"></span>be in line with the exclusion of A. 52(2)(c) EPC and the requirement <span class="anchor" id="line-76"></span>that the exclusion be interpreted narrowly (n. 52(3) EPc). <span class="anchor" id="line-77"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-78"></span><p class="line874">Decision T 424/03 (MICROSOFT-clipboard formats) concerned an application <span class="anchor" id="line-79"></span>disclosing a method of providing expanded clipboard formats for <span class="anchor" id="line-80"></span>transferring data bemeen formats. The clipboard is a storage area used <span class="anchor" id="line-81"></span>in the common computer commands 'cut', 'copy' and 'paste'. <span class="anchor" id="line-82"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-83"></span><p class="line874">In this decision, the Board distinguished a method implemented in a <span class="anchor" id="line-84"></span>computer system from a computer program. The former was described as a <span class="anchor" id="line-85"></span>sequence of steps that are actually performed on a computer and achieving <span class="anchor" id="line-86"></span>an effect. The latter was described as a sequence of computer-executable <span class="anchor" id="line-87"></span>instructions which just have the potential of achieving such an effect <span class="anchor" id="line-88"></span>when loaded into, and run on, a computer. Thus a computer implemented <span class="anchor" id="line-89"></span>method can never be a computer program as such. The Board then <span class="anchor" id="line-90"></span>introduced a claim categoy of 'computer program' (Reasons, 5. 1). <span class="anchor" id="line-91"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-92"></span><p class="line867">
<h2 id="III._The_divergence">III. The divergence</h2>
<span class="anchor" id="line-93"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-94"></span><p class="line874">T 1173/97 placed the emphasis on the function of the computer program <span class="anchor" id="line-95"></span>(does the claimed program have technical character) rather than the <span class="anchor" id="line-96"></span>manner ǐn which it is claimed , (e.g. as a computer program, a computer <span class="anchor" id="line-97"></span>program product or a computer-implemented method). It noted that a <span class="anchor" id="line-98"></span>computer program or computer program product does not directly disclose <span class="anchor" id="line-99"></span>a technical effect in physical reality; this only becomes the case when <span class="anchor" id="line-100"></span>the computer program is run on a computer. However, it saw no reason to <span class="anchor" id="line-101"></span>distinguish between a direct technical effect and the potential to <span class="anchor" id="line-102"></span>produce a technical effect (an indirect technical effect) (Reasons, 9.4). <span class="anchor" id="line-103"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-104"></span><p class="line874">On the other hand, T 424/O3 placed emphasis on the manner in which the <span class="anchor" id="line-105"></span>computer program is claimed. One can consider the case of a method 'x' <span class="anchor" id="line-106"></span>which is suitab1e to be implemented on a computer. Following the <span class="anchor" id="line-107"></span>reasoning of this decision, only a claim of the form 'computer program <span class="anchor" id="line-108"></span>for method x' could possibly be excluded from patentability as a <span class="anchor" id="line-109"></span>computer program as such, whereas claims of the form 'computer <span class="anchor" id="line-110"></span>implemented method x'  or 'computer program product storing executable <span class="anchor" id="line-111"></span>code for method x' would not be excluded (irrespective of the nature of <span class="anchor" id="line-112"></span>the method x). <span class="anchor" id="line-113"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-114"></span><p class="line867">
<h2 id="IV._Consequences">IV. Consequences</h2>
<span class="anchor" id="line-115"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-116"></span><p class="line874">In the field of computer technology, innovation frequently lies in the <span class="anchor" id="line-117"></span>particular method performed by a computer program while executed by <span class="anchor" id="line-118"></span>conventional hardware.Consequently, the exclusion of computer programs <span class="anchor" id="line-119"></span>as such under Article 52(2) and (3) EPC should be of key importance in <span class="anchor" id="line-120"></span>this field. However, if one were to follow the reasoning of T 424/O3, <span class="anchor" id="line-121"></span>overcoming the exclusion of programs for computers would become a <span class="anchor" id="line-122"></span>formality, merely requiring formulation of the claim as a computer <span class="anchor" id="line-123"></span>implemented method or as a computer program product. <span class="anchor" id="line-124"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-125"></span><p class="line867">
<h2 id="References">References</h2>
<span class="anchor" id="line-126"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-127"></span><p class="line874">(2) Practice notice dated 2 November 2OO6, point 14: <span class="anchor" id="line-128"></span><a class="http" href="http://www.ipo.gov.uk/patent/p-decisionmaking/plaw/p-law-notice/p-law-notice-subjectmaer.htm">http://www.ipo.gov.uk/patent/p-decisionmaking/plaw/p-law-notice/p-law-notice-subjectmaer.htm</a> <span class="anchor" id="line-129"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-130"></span><p class="line874">(3) Practice notice dated 7 february 2OO8: <span class="anchor" id="line-131"></span><a class="http" href="http://www.ipo.gov.uk/patent/p-decisionmaking/p-law/p-law-notice/p-law-notice-subjectmatter-2OO8O2O7.htm">http://www.ipo.gov.uk/patent/p-decisionmaking/p-law/p-law-notice/p-law-notice-subjectmatter-2OO8O2O7.htm</a> <span class="anchor" id="line-132"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-133"></span><p class="line862">(4) <a class="http" href="http://legal.european-patent-office.org/dg3/biblio/t971173ep1.htm">T11 73/97 - Computer program product IBM (OJ EPO 1 O/1 999, 6O9)</a> <span class="anchor" id="line-134"></span><span class="anchor" id="bottom"></span></div><p id="pageinfo" class="info" lang="en" dir="ltr">EPOReferralQ1  (last edited 2009-08-15 23:47:18 by <span title="??? @ localhost[127.0.0.1]">localhost</span>)</p>

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